The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-06-26
COMPOSITE PHOTOGRAPHS.
AEL THE FACES OF THE HAssAR sEN-
~ TORS IN ONE PICTURE

xe Shows Firn Chin and shadow 81 .
Banr-WeIiesiey is Leveiy and Be.sisss
-Amhorst II Manaseme, with = Beard.
1t has long been custom at many colleges
for tho mombors OF the graduating classes to
hive their photographs taken. to DO kept to-
gotherin On album by each OF the scattering
students "a q memento Of college days 1t has
for u shorter time been custom at como COLI
leges for the members OF graduating class to
collate statistics about themselves, mainly with
respect to their age and height and other points
OF physical development, and summing UP the
figures on tho various lines Of inquiry, to divide
tho totnls by tho number in tho class, and thus
find tho class averages. Tho only result So
cured BIZ those two customs was tho obtaining.
first. OF series OF scientifically accurate repre-
sentntfons OF individual faces, and second, Of
u eories Of figures that gave crude represen-
tation OF the average OF the individual physical
measurements So far rs any ones desire TO
ind single true type OF any class OF senior
students was concerned, the collection OF pho
togrnphs gave no satisfaction, while the tables
Of figures, because Of the very limitations OF
such o method, became almost an aggravation.
An ingenious student at Hamilton College
eomo four years ago. while looking over coll
lection Of class photographs and comparing
them with table OF statistics, was lamenting
the lack OF some scheme by which the elements
OF tho faces OF his class might be combined and
then averaged up 30 as to procure q facc which
would be typically representative OF all the
mon in tho class He expressed wish that an
artist, taking all the mon as models and using
the k4enest powers Of perception and discrimi-
nation that ever artist possessed might criti-
cally select the leading facial characteristics,
and by generalization incorporate them In
single etched face. Such portrait. he argued,
Ilx, ,,oaaih1a md would he worth
intellectually moro than the most elaborate set
of minute and detailed facial statistics. An
other student had an indefinite conception OF
composite photography. and 1t was suggested
that On effort be made to secure by that means
O compound typical photograph. But dih-
culties arose and the project was dropped.
In this year OF grace 1887 the wish for pic-
torial average OF graduating class is being
gratiled In more than ono college. Composite
photography Is the means employed. and not
alone arc young college men and maidens min
isterins TO their curiosity, but college profess
ors and men of the physical and chemical labor
atory and students of ethnology and Of physi-
ognomy ore waxing enthusiastic in tho work
Of getting generic, typical portraits Of groups
OF faces. Experiments were begun at Smith
College some time ago, and composite picture
was obtained Of some Of the young women
there. Tho result was greatly admired. and tho
girls Of several Glasses had their composites
made. That was over Q year ago. Copies Of
the photographs found appreciative comment
eeniors OF this year at yassar. Wellesley. Packer
Collegiats institute Columbia. Amherst. and
averaged UP and class composites made.
What is a composite? How Is It made2 Has
# really any value2 VIII 1t aid In the study OF
beauty and blemish of q class Of students or
of members Of u family. body Of legislators,
q jail yard OF criminals, ward OF diseased
persons. a corridor Of maniacs. or Of any set OF
persons whose lives merge for time and out
of whose characteristics and traits as mani
tested In the cOuntenance 1t would be inter-
esting, for comparative purposes to create
typical face manifesting the averages OF those
traits and charactersStics2
First, aS to what q composite Is